How to leave a small footprint when marking a race course?
More and more community organizations are sponsoring road races that range from 1 mile to a marathon. During the course layout which requires some exacting standards that have been specified by the USA Track and Field Course Certification program there are typical distance milestones that need to be marked for subsequent use.
More municipalities are establishing marking standards that minimize the use of products that may impact the environment and aesthetics of a street, sidewalk, trail, and park. While many courses directors have used a concrete/masonary nail and washer and stencil painted markings, these are being shunned by more communities.
One of the solution race organizers are turning to are survey marking whiskers that are also being used for sports field marking. These 6" bundles of nylon threads held by a adjustable horse shoe like clasp can be placed in turf and path locations. Using a 60 penny nail (6" length) or a composite 6" staking spike these nylon marking whiskers can be hammered into the softer surface.
The 6" nylon marking whiskers can be easily trimmed to a desired length using a side cutting hand tool although a mower blade will eventually shorten them. Once these units are installed they will more be difficult to remove over time, especially those used with a 60 penny nail. The composite staking spike produced by Raptor Spikes will not adversely damage mowing and maintenance equipment even if they are removed from the ground.
Tru Mark packages these marking whiskers, 60 penny nails, and composite nails in sets of 25 each. For additional saving these can be purchased in sets of 3 and 5 of 25 packages each.
During the initial layout of the race course the milestones markings can identified using the Tru Mark Turf Stakes with Marking Whiskers. The staff then can follow behind using a hammer and staking solution to semi-permanently mark the location.
Another temporary marking solution could include the use of aerosol chalk or bulk liquid chalk. Similar to the application of aerosol paint, however the aerosol chalk is a much more temporary. Once this product dries, normally within 30 minutes, the chalk application performs similar to the dry chalk products that you typically see used on baseball and softball fields. With foot scuffing and water the chalk can be quickly removed, except where applied on more porous surface. The bulk liquid chalk is diluted with equal parts of water and applied with an airless sprayer which could be as simple as a hand pump-up sprayer or an electric backpack sprayer.